Professor Christine Bennett AO

Professor Christine Bennett AO

Biography

Professor Christine Bennett AO, MBBS FRACP Master Paed, Dean, School of Medicine, Sydney, The University of Notre Dame Australia was appointed to the role of Professor and Dean, School of Medicine, Sydney, The University of Notre Dame Australia in May 2011. Prior to this appointment, Professor Bennett was the Chief Medical Officer for Bupa Australia Group.

Professor Bennett is a specialist paediatrician and has over 30 years of health industry experience in clinical care, strategic planning, business operations and senior management in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors. She is a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians and has an active commitment to and involvement in medical professional issues, social policy and medical research.

Professor Bennett’s professional experience has included being Group Executive and Chief Medical Officer for MBF and the Bupa Health and Care services, CEO of Research Australia, Managing Director of Total Health Enterprise Ltd, Partner in Health and Life Sciences for KPMG Australia, CEO of Westmead Hospital and Community Health Services, General Manager for the Royal Hospital for Women and Head of Planning in NSW Health.

She is an experienced company director and has held many Non-Executive Director roles for private and publicly listed companies, as well as government and charitable organisations.

Professor Bennett is the former Chair of Research Australia – an alliance of over 170 member organisations promoting health and medical research in Australia and The Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network in NSW.

Professor Bennett is currently the Chair of Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network and also currently sits on the boards of RetireAustralia; Capital Markets CRC; Lorica Health and is a Special Health Advisor to Bupa ANZ. She was previously on the boards of ICON (Integrated Clinical Oncology Network) from 2011 to 2014 and served as chair of the Remuneration Committee; was Chair of the Bupa Health Foundation Steering Committee; Chair of The Australian National Preventive Health Agency Advisory Council (2011 to 2014); HeartWare Inc – a medical device company listed on both NASDAQ and the ASX (2004 to 2012) and chaired the Audit and Risk Committee; Symbion Health Ltd (2007-2008) which was an ASX 100 company; Obesity Australia (2011 to 2013); and was Deputy Chair of the Schizophrenia Research Institute (previously NISAD) (2000 to 2006).

In February 2008, Professor Bennett was appointed by the then Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to be Chair of the National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission that provided advice to governments on a long term blue print for the future of the Australian health system and aged care. The Commission’s comprehensive final report with recommendations covering all aspects of health and aged care was presented to the Government in June 2009.

A mother of 5 children, Professor Bennett is passionate about giving all children a healthy start to life; supporting the mental health and wellbeing of young people; addressing the broader determinants of health; educating future doctors and health leaders; promoting healthy ageing and the importance of empowering people to have the central role in their own health and health care decisions.

In 2013, Professor Bennett was selected as a Finalist in NSW for Australian of the Year.

Professor Christine Bennett was awarded an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in the Australia Day 2014 Honours List. The Award recognises Professor Bennett’s distinguished service to medicine and health care leadership, as a clinician, researcher and educator, particularly in the fields of child and family health, and social policy.

About Us

NHMRC Partnership Centre for Health System Sustainability is a collaboration between AIHI and NHMRC, Bupa Health Foundation, NSW Health, Department of Health WA and the University of Notre Dame Australia.